Pakistan recognises 'Saudi efforts' in Khashoggi murder case

Statement comes after US intelligence in its report claims Saudi crown prince approved operation against journalist

A day after the United States intelligence released a report claiming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had approved of an operation to capture or kill dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi, Pakistan on Saturday said that it recognised "Saudi efforts in this regard" and "expressed solidarity with the kingdom".

Khashoggi, a US resident who wrote opinion columns for the Washington Post critical of the crown prince’s policies, was killed and dismembered by a team of operatives allegedly linked to the crown prince in the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul in 2018.

Riyadh has denied any involvement by the crown prince.

“We assess that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation in Istanbul, Turkey to capture or kill Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi,” the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said in the report on Friday.

Read more: Saudi crown prince approved operation against Khashoggi: US intelligence

"We have taken note of the public release of the US administration’s declassified intelligence report, containing its 'assessment' on the killing of Jamal Khashoggi," Foreign Office Spokesperson Zahid Chaudhri said in a statement.

He said that foreign office had also noted that the Saudi government termed Khashoggi’s murder as an “abhorrent crime” and a “flagrant violation of the kingdom’s laws and values.”

"The Saudi government has further underlined that it took all possible measures within its legal system to ensure that the individuals responsible were properly investigated, convicted and sentenced and that justice was served," the statement added.

FO spokesperson said that Pakistan recognises Saudi efforts in this regard and expresses solidarity with the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

"Pakistan underscores adherence to the rule of law, respect for national sovereignty, and protection and promotion of human rights by all states, in accordance with their respective Constitutional frameworks and international obligations," the statement further said.

Soon after the release of the report, the US also announced to bar entry by 76 Saudis under a new policy called the “Khashoggi Ban”, the State Department said it would not tolerate those who threaten or assault activists, dissidents and journalists on behalf of foreign governments.

The Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Ahmed Hassan Mohammed al-Asiri, Saudi Arabia’s former Deputy Head of General Intelligence Presidency, and Saudi Arabia’s Rapid Intervention Force (RIF) in connection with the Khashoggi’s murder.

The Treasury accused Asiri of being the ringleader of the Khashoggi operation and said several members of the hit squad sent to intercept the journalist were part of the RIF, a subset of the Saudi Royal Guard which answers only to the crown prince.

The US intelligence report judged that RIF members would not have acted without the crown prince’s approval.

Khashoggi, 59, was a Saudi journalist living in self-imposed exile in Virginia who wrote opinion pieces for the Washington Post critical of the policies of the crown prince – known to some in the West as MBS.

Khashoggi was lured to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul with a promise of a document that he needed to marry his Turkish fiancee. A team of operatives allegedly linked to MBS killed him there and dismembered his body. His remains have not been found.

Riyadh initially issued conflicting statements about his disappearance, but eventually admitted that Khashoggi was killed in what it called a “rogue” extradition operation gone wrong.

Twenty-one men were arrested in the killing and five senior officials, including the deputy intelligence chief, Ahmed al-Asiri, and Saud al-Qahtani, a senior MBS aide, were sacked.

In January 2019, 11 people were put on trial behind closed doors. Five were given death sentences, which were commuted to 20 years in prison after they were forgiven by Khashoggi’s family, while three others were given jail terms.

Asiri was tried but acquitted “due to insufficient evidence,” the prosecution said, while Qahtani was investigated but not charged.